Open AccessAtrial fibrillation in an African‐American cohort: The Jackson Heart Study
Author(s) -
Austin Thomas R.,
Wiggins Kerri L.,
Blackshear Chad,
Yang Yi,
Benjamin Emelia J.,
Curtis Lesley H.,
Sotoodehnia a,
Correa Adolfo,
Heckbert Susan R.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.23020
Subject(s) - medicine , atrial fibrillation , incidence (geometry) , anthropometry , cohort , cohort study , blood pressure , cardiology , demography , physics , sociology , optics
Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important public health problem across race/ethnic groups. Data from US cohort studies initiated in the 1980s suggest a higher prevalence of AF risk factors among African‐Americans (AAs) than whites, but lower AF incidence. The Jackson Heart Study (JHS) is a community‐based study of 5306 AAs recruited starting in 2000. Hypothesis Demographic, anthropometric, cardiovascular, and/or electrocardiographic factors are associated with AF incidence in JHS. Methods Using baseline participant characteristics and incident AF identified through hospital surveillance, study electrocardiogram, and Medicare claims, we estimated age‐ and sex‐specific AF incidence rates, compared them with rates in AA participants in the Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) and Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), and examined associations of cardiovascular risk factors with AF. Results A total of 66 participants had prevalent AF at baseline. Over an average follow‐up of 8.5 years, 242 cases of incident AF were identified. Age‐ and sex‐specific AF incidence rates in JHS were similar to those among AAs in MESA and appeared slightly lower than those among AAs in CHS. In an age‐ and sex‐adjusted model, associations with incident AF were observed for modifiable risk factors: high body weight (HR = 1.23 per 15 kg, 95%CI 1.13‐1.35), systolic blood pressure (HR = 1.29 per 20 mmHg, 95%CI 1.13‐1.47), and current smoking (HR = 1.80, 95%CI 1.27‐2.55). Risk estimates associated with these risk factors were only slightly attenuated after multivariable adjustments. Conclusions These findings underscore the potential additional benefits of interventions for weight management, control of hypertension, and smoking cessation for the prevention of AF among AAs.